Derrick



Feb. 16,1926;

P. YORKE DERRICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept- 5, 1925 gave to: Paz'a 0212? f "QM alto: nu

P. YORKE Feb; 16 192s.

T JBRRICK Filed Sept. 5 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIII IIIIIIIII Ill-ll llll-L awozmq- Jar/ire Patented Feb. 16,- 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK YORKEQOF WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

DERRICK.

Application filed September 5, 1925. Serial No. 54,821.

T 0 all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, PATRICK Yonkn, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at ashington, in the county of \Vashington and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Derricks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s.

.This invention relates to derricks and more particularly to a derrick of the type used in oil well drilling apparatus.

An important object of the invention is to provide a metallic derrick structure which may be very readily erected and in the construction of which the use of threaded bolts is eliminated. It has been found that the greatest draw-back in the use of metallic derricks of the type described is that when it becomes necessary to loosen or remove the bolts in dismantling the derrick, this is practically impossible due to the fact that the threads become rusted and corroded and thus render removal or loosening substantially impossible. In many cases, it is founl necessary to cut the nuts from the bolts and this, of course, involves considerable labor and time.

A. further object of the invention is to provide means for connecting adjacent ends of the leg sections of derricks, involving the use of double headed elements inserted through the usual connecting plate together with wedges for tightening said headed elements.

A further and morespecific object of the invention is to provide a derrick which is substantially keyed together, as regards the separatesect-ions thereof, the securing elements employed being so constructed that theymay be inserted while in one position and when rotated from the position of their insertion become unremovable. It will be obvious that securing elements of this type willinvariably leave a' certain degree of looseness which must be compensated for and forthisreason' I associate with these element the wedges above mentioned.

. These'and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompz'inyiug drawings, whereln for the purpose o't 1llustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein V Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a"derriek constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through adjacent portions of legs of a derrick showing the manner of connecting the same to one another and to the braces and girts;

Figure 5-1 is a transverse sectional view therethrough Figure at is a perspective of the outer plate;

Figure 5 is a perspective of the adjacent ends of the legs of the derrick and of the inner or washer plate;

Figure 6 is a perspective of one of the wedges employed.

In constructing a metallic derrick, the legs thereof are usually formed in sections 10 of which I have illustrated the upper end of a lower leg section and the lower end of an upper leg section. In connecting these sections, which are usually formed of angle iron, a plate 11 is employed which is likewise of angle iron and which abuts and is permanently attached to the outer face of the upper end of the lower leg section, the attachment being indieatedat 12 and preferably taking the form o't rivets. This plate 11 is of suflicient length to project beyond the upper end of the lower leg section so that it many be secured to the lower end of the upper leg section associated therewith. This plate and more particularly the securing elements of the plate provides means for attaching to the derrick at the joint between the leg section braces 13 and girts 1-1:.

In accordance with my invention, the plate 11 is formed in each flange 11 thereof with four vertically aligned oval openings 15 having their long aves directed longitudinally of the flange 11. Two of these openings 15 of each flange align with similar openings 16 formed in the upper end of the leg section. The two remaining openings of each flange align with similar openings 17 formed in the lower end of the corresponding flange of the upper leg section when the upper leg section is seated upon the upper end of the lower leg section.

Secured to the inner face of each flange 10 of the upper end of the lower leg section and preferably by the securing element 12 is a plate 18 which I shall hereinafter term washer plates. These washer plates at their point of attachment are slightly spaced from the adjacent face of the flange 10 by a washer 19 or the like. The plates 18 are each of such length that they project to the upper end of the lower leg section and rear- Wardly of the two openings 17 of the lower end of the upper leg section when this. leg section is in position. Aligned with the openings 16 of the lower leg section and the openings 17 of the upper leg section, each plate 18 has formed therein oval openings 20, Each brace 13 is fo med of angle iron and has in what will be the vertically extending flange 13 of the brace, when in applied position, an oval opening 21 at each end thereof. Each girt 14 is constructed of angle iron and has attached to each end thereof the stem 22 of a T-plate 23. In the head 24 of this T-plate, there are formed oval openings 25 spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the openings 16 of the lower girt section and the adjacent opening 17 of the upper girt section.

In combination with a structure, such as above described, I provide securing elements '26, more particularly shown in Figure 3.

striking surface when withdrawing thewedge and having a longitudinally extending slot 33 at the center thereof.

In assembling a derrick employing the foregoing structure, assuming the lower leg section to be in applied position, the upper leg section is inserted between the plate 11 and the washer plates 18 until it comes to rest upon the upper end-of the lower leg section. The securing elements 26 are then entered from the inner face of the derrick leg, these bolts being passed throughall of the aligned openings of the leg section, plate 11 and of the washer plate. With the securing elements in position, the ends of associated braces 13 and girt-s ll are secured there to, by passing the oval head portion of the bolt through the oval opening of the girt or brace. After the securing elements have been passed through all of the openings, they are placed so that the oval head of the securing element has its longitudinal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the oval opening of the element through which it is last passed. The wedges 31 are then inserted, being dropped into position from the top so that the slot receives the shank 2'7 of each successive securing element between the washer plate 18 and the opposed faces of the leg sections so that this plate actually serves as a washerfor'these bolts in addition to serving the function above set forth of providing an additional guide When inserting the lower end of the upper must be compensated for in considering length of the bolts is the wedge and, therefore, these bolts can all be made of a single length and a washer placed between the heads of the lower three securing elements andthe washer plate 18 to compensate for the difference in thickness of the wedge.

It will, of course, be obvious that the par ticular structure of the securing elements hereinbefore set forth is capable of a considerable range of change and modification and I do not wish to be understood as limit.

ing myself to the particular head structure, indicated at 29, this is obviously but, an illustrative example of one way of constructing the same. Many other changes being possible in the structure without in any manner departing from the spirit of the iiivention, I do not limit myself to such spc cific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, of a plate abutting each thereof, aligning irregular openings formed in each leg section and the plate, securing elements each having at one end thereof a head incapable of passage through said openings and at the opposite end a head passable through the openings when in proper position with relation. thereto and a wedge associated with the securing elements for tensioning the same. 7

2, The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, of a plate abutting each thereof, aligning openings formed in each leg section and the plate, double headed securing elements directed through said openings each having the head at one end thereof arranged at the outer face of the plate, the head at the opposite end thereof opposed to the inner face of the derrick leg and a wedge associated with said securing elements for tensioning the same.

' 3. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, of a plate abutting each thereof, aligning irregular openings formed in each leg section and the plate, securing elements each having at one end thereof a head incapable of passage through said openings and at the opposite end a head passable through the openings fwhen in proper position with relation thereto and IOU wedges associated with each securing element for tensioning the same, said securing elements being arranged in vertically aligned groups, a single wedge being associated with each group.

4. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sect-ions of a derrick, of a plate abutting each thereof, aligning irregular openings formed in each leg section and the plate, securing elements each having at one end thereof a head incapable of passage through said openings and at the opposite end a head passable through the openings when in proper position with relation thereto and wedges associated with each securing element for tensioning the same, said securing elements being arranged in Vertically aligned groups, a single wedge being associated with each group, said wedge having a longitudinal slot permitting passage of the shanks of the securing elements.

5. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, a plate abutting each thereof and permanently attached to one thereof, a second plate abutting the opposite face of said leg section and likewise secured to said leg section and of the same length as the first named plate whereby said plates form a guide for insertion of the other of the leg sect-ions, aligning irregular openings formed in each leg section and each of the plates,: securing elements each having at one end thereof a head incapable of passage through said openings and at the opposite end a head passable through the openings when in proper position with relation thereto directed through each set of openings and a wedge associated with the securing ele ments for tensioning the same, said wedge being disposed intermediate the last named plate and the adjacent faces of the leg sections of the derrick.

6. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, a plate abutting each thereof and permanently attached to one thereof, a second plate abutting the opposite face of said leg section and likewise secured to said leg section and of the same length as the first named plate whereby said plates form a guide for insertion of the other of the leg sections, aligning irregular openings formed in each leg section and each of the plates, securing elements each having at one end thereof a head incapable of passage through said openings and at the opposite end a head passable through the openings when in proper position with relation thereto directed through each set of openings and a wedge associated with the securing elements for tensioning the same, said wedge being disposed intermediate the last named plate and the adjacent faces of the leg sections of the derrick and being of a length greater than the distance between the uppermost and lowermost securing elements and having a longitudinal slot for the passage of the shanks of the securing elements.

'5 A metallic derrick comprising separable overlapping sections, double headed securing elements extended through the overlapped portions of the sections for connecting the sections and wedges for tensioning said securing elements.

8. The combination with adjacent ends of leg sections of a derrick, of a plate abutting each thereof and permanently attached to one thereof, a second plate secured to the last named plate section coacting with the first named plate to form a guide for insertion of the other of the leg sections, aligned openings formed in each leg section and each of the plates, double headed securing elements extended through said openings and having the heads thereof opposed to the outer faces of said plates and a wedge disposed between the last named plate and the opposed portions of the leg sections of the derrick to force the last named plate outwardly and tension the securing elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

PATRICK YORKE. 

